Tag Archives: ClarinetMike says

Don’t Look Down!

Posted on November 11, 2019 by

I’ve noticed that many young clarinetists, especially beginners, at times have a tendency to look down their clarinets while playing. Looking down the clarinet while playing can create bad habits and problems:  embouchure, head position, posture, etc. can be impacted. … Continue reading →

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Upgrade Your Sound: Project!

Posted on November 6, 2019 by

Today I gave six all-state clarinet and bass clarinet master classes at a high school here in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. In today’s master classes, I worked on improving the tone qualities of the students and this included working on their … Continue reading →

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“Head In The Right Direction!”

Posted on October 29, 2019 by

Proportions of the Head (c. 1488 – 1489) is a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci. In a recent video post, I considered the importance of not leaning over too much when playing the clarinet. A related issue is that of … Continue reading →

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7 Ways to Improve Your Practicing!

Posted on October 24, 2019 by

I know many of you are practicing feverishly preparing for all-region, all-state, lessons, concerts, orchestra auditions, concerto competitions, university auditions, recital hearings, juries, etc. Below are some tips that will help you make the most of your practice sessions. 7 … Continue reading →

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ClarinetMike’s “Practice Tips A to Z” [Complete Article]

Posted on October 14, 2019 by

Practice Tips A to Z by Dr. Michael Dean “ClarinetMike” The following are some ideas I have found useful with my students and in my own practicing. An easy-print PDF of this article can be found HERE. A. Always ARTC (Approach, Relaxation, Tone, … Continue reading →

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Practice Tip: “I Will Clap The Music Every Day!”

Posted on October 8, 2019 by

Inside ClarinetMike’s Studio: A few years ago, one of my bright-eyed junior high students, Ian, came to a lesson and played music that he was preparing for a contest. He did an excellent performance of the notes; however, the rhythms … Continue reading →

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“Polka!” Etude No. 3 All-State Tips from ClarinetMike’s 2019-2020 Texas TMEA All-State Soprano Clarinet Clinic

Posted on October 1, 2019 by

Below are my clinic notes on Etude No. 3 from this year’s Texas TMEA All-State Soprano Clarinet Etudes.  My previously published notes on Etude 1 and 2 are available: Etude 1 here and Etude 2 here. ClarinetMike’s Texas TMEA All-State … Continue reading →

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